I Don't Live Today
}} "I Don't Live Today" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, originally released on their 1967 debut album Are You Experienced. The song was written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded at De Lane Lea Studios some time in February 1967. History Analysis Style "IDLT" is backed with a notable native American drum pattern by Mitch Mitchell. The guitar solo is played with four guitars; two with wah-wah effect, one with distortion, and another with a ringing sitar effect. "IDLT" was labelled as a 'freak-out' song, a label Hendrix did not approve of, saying "I might as well say freak-out tune because everyone else is going to anyway." Live When played live, the drum intro was much longer and more complex. Much of the rest of the song was the same as the studio original, though of course much less dense due to the existence of up to four guitars on the original. Live, the song was also played at a noticeably faster tempo. Also, after the whammy covered breakdown, the main riff would come back in at a blistering pace before being joined by the rest of the band and going back into the chorus lyrics. Lyrics Will I live tomorrow? Well I just can't say. Will I live tomorrow? Well I just can't say. But I know for sure I don't live today. No sun comin' through my windows, Feel like I'm livin' at the bottom of a grave. No-oh sun comin' through my windows, Feel like I'm livin' at the bottom of a grave. I wish you'd hurry up and execute me, So I can be on my miserable way. I don't Live today! Maybe tomorrow, I just can't say; but, uh, I don't Live today! It's such a shame to waste your time away like this. Well, I don't Live today! Maybe tomorrow, I just can't tell you, baby; but, uh, I don't Live today! It's such a shame to spend the time away like this. Existing. Yeah! Ow! Yeah! Oh, no. Oh, there ain't no life nowhere. Uh-huh, hmm. Are you experienced? Get experienced. Get experienced. Are you experienced? Appearances Studio albums *1967: Are You Experienced Live albums *2003: Live at Berkeley Credits *Jimi Hendrix – guitars, vocals, speech, handclaps *Mitch Mitchell – drums *Noel Redding – bass, speech ---- *Engineer: Dave Siddle *Producer: Chas Chandler Cover versions “IDLT” has been covered by many bands, etc., in the decades since its initial release on “Are You Experienced”. One of the most unique versions was performed by the band “Last Rites” in San Francisco throughout the 80’s and 90’s. Guitarist and singer John Lind, who'd served in the USAF as a Russian linguist, translated the lyrics into Russian. When a fan asked what had inspired him to choose “IDLT”, John Lind answered “because it translates well into Russian.” “In reality, there were two reasons. First, it's my favorite Hendrix song. I’ve always considered it to be his most extreme, most psychedelic, and several of the live versions are among the best things he ever did. “Second, it really does translate well into Russian, much better than a lot of other songs. The reason I translated it to begin with is because I’ve had a fascination with Russian for many years, culminating in my having studied it at the Defense Language Institute while in the USAF. I’ve concluded that I must have spoken Russian in a prior life. Translating my favorite Hendrix song into Russian is my way of paying tribute to that aspect of my life.” References Links *I Don't Live Today - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia *I Dont Live Today by Jimi Hendrix - 911Tabs, tabs search engine Navigation Category:Songs Category:1967 songs